ONLY IN JAPAN: A hospital for stuffed toys

TOKYO — When Seiko Kita took her three-year-old to an Osaka hospital for treatment of injuries, including damage to her ears and other body parts, she never expected the service would be such a godsend. But “Nuigurumi Byoin” — a self-styled hospital for stuffed toys — came to the rescue of her pink toy rabbit Pi-chan, as Ms Kita affectionately calls her “only girl”. She has another stuffed toy who is Pi-chan’s “brother”. The hospital prides itself on having the standards of a top-level medical facility — high-quality care, skilful “doctors”, reassuring nurses, and a friendly and sanitary environment — but only treats stuffed toys. “Nuigurumi Byoin” (Stuffed Toy Hospital), which opened in 2014 in Osaka Prefecture and only accepts patients by reservation, has become a hot topic on social media, its popularity stemming from its attention to detail. In the six months from Marc...